COUNCIL BLUFFS- The #8 ILCC Men's Soccer Team faced off against #1 Iowa Western in the Midwest District Final on Monday. The winner of this game would clinch a spot in the NJCAA National Championship tournament next month in Wichita, Kansas.  This would be the fourth meeting between the sides this season with all matches going in favor of the Reivers.

Western would take the lead in the 8th minute off a corner kick that the Laker defense failed to clear. The Lakers would bounce back pressuring the Western defense but could not find the net and would head into halftime down 1-0. Fifteen minutes into the second half the Reivers would add a second off of a free kick outside of the Laker box stretching the lead to 2-0. 

The Lakers would start to work themselves back into the game and apply more pressure to the Western defense. With only ten minutes left in the game, the Lakers would finally get on the scoreboard courtesy of freshmen striker Jason Dyer. It wouldn't take much longer for the Lakers to find the equalizer, just five minutes later Iowa Lakes would be awarded a free kick on the outside of the Reivers box where Sophomore midfielder Sofian Maghouz would strike a fantastic shot into the bottom corner of the Western net sending the game into overtime.

After twenty minutes of extra time and still tied at 2-2 the game would then be decided by penalty kicks. The Reivers would end up winning 4-3 in the shootout with the Western keeper blocking three and ILCC goalkeeper Taariq Ganga blocking two. Iowa Western will go on to the NJCAA National Tournament Representing the Midwest district as the Lakers now await to see if they will earn an at-large berth to the National Tournament.